Effects of Classroom Goal Structure on Cooperative and Competitive Predisposition: Transescent Students' Attitudes and Achievement in Problem Solving

AbstractForty fifth–grade and sixth–grade students identified as either cooperative predisposition or competitive predisposition were randomly assigned to either cooperative or competitive goal structure classroom treatments. The two groups were exposed to the same problem solving content for 10 days and worked on problems in small interdependent learning groups (cooperative goal structure) or individually (competitive goal structure). As hypothesized, it was found that competitive goal structure had a greater negative effect on cooperative–predisposition subjects' attitudes and achievement than on competitive–predisposition subjects. The implications for the utilization of cooperative and competitive goal structures in the middle school classroom are discussed.